Atlanta Thrashers Schedule
Tuesday
2/7/2012
7:30PM
Winnipeg Jets vs Toronto Maple Leafs
Thursday
2/9/2012
7:00PM
Washington Capitals vs Winnipeg Jets
Saturday
2/11/2012
2:00PM
Pittsburgh Penguins vs Winnipeg Jets
NEWS
By Bud L. Ellis
A pair of Atlanta Thrashers defensemen who are a key part of the franchise’s turnaround season will display their talents during the NHL All-Star game.
Dustin Byfuglien and Toby Enstrom will represent the Thrashers during the All-Star game, Jan. 31 in Raleigh, N.C. (Read More…)
Tuesday, January 11, 2011 at 3:00 pm by bud
Tags: Atlanta Thrashers news, Atlanta Thrashers schedule, Atlanta Thrashers tickets, Chicago Blackhawks, Dustin Byfuglien, NHL All-Star game, Philadelphia Flyers, Philips Arena, Tampa Bay Lightning, Tobias Enstrom, Washington Capitals
By Bud L. Ellis
The offseason makeover of the Atlanta Thrashers continued Monday, with the hiring of Mike Stothers to finish out the coaching staff.
Stothers comes to Atlanta after a career spent coaching mostly in the minor leagues. He did spent 2000-02 behind the bench with the Philadelphia Flyers, serving as an assistant along with newly named Thrashers’ head coach Craig Ramsay. (Read More…)
Monday, July 12, 2010 at 8:25 pm by bud
Tags: American Hockey League, Atlanta Thrashers news, Atlanta Thrashers tickets, Craig Ramsay, Grand Rapids Griffins, John Anderson, John Torchetti, Mike Stothers, National Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, Owen Sound, Philadelphia Flyers
By Bud L. Ellis
There is a long way to go until the Stanley Cups Playoffs begin, and plenty of teams fighting for a handful of spots in the middle of the Eastern Conference.
There is plenty of time for the Atlanta Thrashers to slide back in the standings. But, if the Thrashers find themselves among the eight teams from the East entering postseason play, circle Thursday night’s remarkable 4-3 victory at Philadelphia.
The win moved Atlanta from 13th to sixth in the tightly bunched Eastern Conference standings. It’s just late January, but for a franchise that’s tasted the postseason just once in its decade of existence, it’s huge nonetheless.
Trailing on the road by two goals, against a team that historically gives Atlanta fits, the Thrashers rallied for three goals in the third period. Johan Hedberg made it stand up, putting on a performance that included perhaps the save of the season in the NHL.
The hot-shot rookie, Evander Kane, and the forgotten man, Jim Slater, teamed up for two goals that sparked Atlanta. The first goal gave Atlanta a 1-0 lead six minutes into the game. The second one was far more important.
After Ilya Kovalchuk snapped a four-game scoreless streak with his 31st of the season just 29 seconds into the third period, Rich Peverley tied the game with 15:34 left on a breakaway.
Kane then broke free down the left side, wrapped around the net and found an open Slater in the slot for the game-winner with 6:34 left.
Hedberg made it stick, coming way out of his net to slap away a shot. In the process, his mask and jersey fell over his head, and he blindly tried to clear the puck. Hedberg emerged with a smile on his face, and his teammates were all grins a few minutes later when the game ended, Atlanta’s first back-to-back regulation wins since mid-December.
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Saturday, January 30, 2010 at 12:17 pm by bud
Tags: Atlanta Thrashers, Evander Kane, Ilya Kovalchuk, Jim Slater, Johan Hedberg, National Hockey League, Philadelphia Flyers, Rich Peverley
By Bud L. Ellis
Fighting to stay afloat in the crowded bottom two-thirds of the Eastern Conference, a power outage was the last thing the Atlanta Thrashers needed.
A three-game, 0-for-13 stretch on the power play hasn’t done anything to enhance the Thrashers’ playoff chances. But Tuesday night, locked in a 1-1 game in the third period with Anaheim at Philips Arena, Atlanta got what it hopes to be a goal that didn’t just win a game, but jump-starts its special teams.
Max Afinogenov popped home a power-play goal 4:03 into the third, breaking a 1-1 tie as the Thrashers won 2-1. The victory keeps the Thrashers on the edge of the eighth and final playoff spot in the East heading into Thursday’s road game at Philadelphia.
Colby Armstrong scored Atlanta’s first goal in the second period. Anaheim lit the lamp later in the second, but Johan Hedberg stopped the Ducks from there, recording 34 saves for the victory.
Starting with the game at Philly, the Thrashers play six of their next eight on the road leading into the Olympic break.
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Thursday, January 28, 2010 at 5:46 am by bud
Tags: Anaheim Ducks, Atlanta Thrashers, Colby Armstrong, Johan Hedberg, Max Afinogenov, Philadelphia Flyers, Philips Arena
By Bud L. Ellis
A furious rally at the finish couldn’t help the Atlanta Thrashers overcome yet another sluggish start.
A Gregory Campbell goal midway through the second period turned out to be the only score of the game, as the Thrashers fell to Southeast Division rival Florida on Monday, 1-0.
The loss drops Atlanta (21-20-7) three points behind the Islanders for the eighth and final playoff spot in the crowded Eastern Conference standings. With 49 points, Atlanta is tied with Philadelphia for 11th.
Johan Hedberg did his part between the pipes for Atlanta, making 23 saves. Campbell’s goal came at the 7:18 mark of the second period, and Hedberg’s vision was partially blocked on the play.
It’s unfortunate, as that would be the difference in part because the Thrashers once again struggled offensively in the early part of the game. The Thrashers mustered just 13 shots on goal combined in the first 40 minutes.
In the third, the Thrashers finally found their offensive rhythm enough to take 14 shots on goal and keep the pressure on Florida’s defense and goaltender Tomas Vokoun. But Vokoun was too tough, and Atlanta wasn’t able to capitalize on a 6-on-4 advantage in the final 1:19.
Atlanta looks to bounce back with a quick turnaround, taking on Toronto on Tuesday at Philips Arena.
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Tuesday, January 19, 2010 at 5:02 am by bud
Tags: Atlanta Thrashers, Florida Panthers, Gregory Campbell, Johan Hedberg, National Hockey League, New York Islanders, Philadelphia Flyers, Philips Arena, Tomas Vokoun, Toronto Maple Leafs
By Bud L. Ellis
This is the type of performance the Atlanta Thrashers need more of if they want to be in contention for an Eastern Conference playoff spot.
Ilya Kovalchuk scored the go-ahead goal just 44 seconds after Carolina had tied the game, and the Thrashers added a Nik Antropv empty-net tally with time running down to secure a 5-3 victory at Carolina on Saturday.
The win moves Atlanta one point out of the eighth and final playoff spot, in the jumbled Eastern Conference standings. The Thrashers are 21-19-7 for 49 points, tied with Philadelphia and one point behind the Islanders and Montreal. Florida, where the Thrashers play Monday, is one point behind Atlanta.
Ondrej Pavelec stopped Eric Stahl on a penalty shot midway through the second period of a 1-1 game. Atlanta responded with goals from Jim Slater and Rich Peverley just 72 seconds apart later in the period, and the Thrashers carried a 3-1 advantage into the final period.
But Carolina responded with two goals in a 70-second span, Ray Whitney’s slap shot tying the game at 3-3 at the 9:09 mark of the third.
Kovalchuk needed just 44 seconds to put the Thrashers back in front. He blasted a slap shot in for his 28th goal of the season, off assists from Tobias Enstrom and Antropov.
Kovalchuk finished with a goal and an assist, giving him 20 points in his past 22 games. Slater finished with a goal and an assist, as did Antropov and Zach Bogosian, who scored Atlanta’s first goal 2:29 into the first.
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Sunday, January 17, 2010 at 4:34 pm by bud
Tags: Atlanta Thrashers, Carolina Hurricanes, Eric Stahl, Florida Panthers, Ilya Kovalchuk, Jim Slater, Montreal Canadians, National Hockey League, New York Islanders, Nik Antropov, Ondrej Pavelec, Philadelphia Flyers, Ray Whitney, Rich Peverley, Tobias Enstrom, Zach Bogosian
By Bud L. Ellis
After losing three games in a row, it appeared maybe the Atlanta Thrashers would revert to their normal form.
But instead, the Thrashers have responded in a way that is atypical of the franchise’s woebegone history.
Atlanta has ripped off four consecutive wins, including a shutout win at Detroit, a furious comeback at Carolina, and a thrilling win against Florida during which Max Afinogenov scored the game-winning goal with five seconds left.
And now, as December dawns, the Thrashers find themselves just seven points behind Washington in the Southeast Division. Atlanta, which takes on the Islanders on Thursday at Philips Arena, looks every bit like a team that wants to stay in the postseason hunt long past Christmas.
The combo of Ondrej Pavelec and Johan Hedberg in goal has been solid (Pavelec posted the shutout win at Detriot; Hedberg shut out the Flyers Saturday night in Atlanta). First-round draft pick Evander Kane has played well beyond his 18 years of age. And of course, Ilya Kovalchuk continues to do his thing on the offensive end.
The Thrashers look like a playoff team. Yes, it’s early December, but this team is played well and getting things done on both ends of the ice.
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Wednesday, December 2, 2009 at 10:26 pm by bud
Tags: Atlanta Thrashers, Detriot Red Wings, Evander Kane, Florida Panthers, Ilya Kovalchuk, Johan Hedberg, Max Afinogenov, National Hockey League, New York Islanders, Ondrej Pavelec, Philadelphia Flyers
